Kia joins eBay as first online manufacturer

According to research findings by J.D. Power and Associates in the US, internet auto shoppers are up 17 percent in 2010, calculated over the past year. Kia is jumping on the online-classifieds bandwagon and has launched a showroom within the eBay Motors website in America.

Kia is the first major manufacturer to go online in this way, and showcases all of the current Kia lineup. Around 345 new car Kia dealers are said to be linked within the site too, so shopping around for a bargain can be made from a seat in your own home.

The website – www.kia.ebay.com – also features a ‘Best Offer’ option, where buyers can post an offer within their range. It is then left up to the dealers to snag on the opportunity, if they wish.

Tom Loveless, vice president of sales, Kia Motors America, was quoted as saying in a recent Yahoo Finance report:

“The program already has proven to be popular with our dealers with nearly 50 percent of Kia dealerships signing on for the program in just two weeks’ time, and more and more signing on every day. Attracting vast online audiences to Kia through a pleasant online purchasing experience furthers Kia Motors’ sales and marketing strategies.”

It’s an excellent idea and in hindsight, about time manufacturers took advantage of the vast array of online buyers out there. We could now expect a number of manufacturers following the trend.